Search form

Dining & Restaurants

In the mood for white tablecloths or brown paper over a picnic table piled high with steamed crabs? Do you like to drive to your dining destination or would you rather the good eats came to you? Classy, sassy, five-star or down and dirty, Maryland is a foodie paradise.

Our local, homegrown eateries like the Waterman’s Inn with it’s old-school Chesapeake seafood, Chap’s Pit Beef, serving up our unofficial state sandwich, or Faidley’s Seafood in Baltimore’s Lexington Market offering up legendary crabcakes and even fresh muskrat in season. Take yourself on a culinary adventure across the state hitting hotspots like Chef Jordan Lloyd’s Easton eatery The Bartlett Pear Inn, Top Chef Master Brian Voltaggio’s Volt in Frederick, or the hot new celebrity chef restaurants at the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore. Want to get out in front of the latest dining craze? Put The Gathering on your calendar and check out the best food trucks in the region all in one, fun spot!

25 Maryland Culinary Experiences

Maryland is a foodie’s paradise, with a variety of local specialties. From our farms and dairies to the Chesapeake and the sea, there’s a bounty of fresh ingredients to be found. Maryland may be most famous for its crabs, but don't miss our craft breweries, world-class restaurants, eclectic food trucks, unique food festivals and family-owned farms. Come to these food events, restaurants and food trucks for a fantastic foodie adventure in Maryland.

2 Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival, Timonium

Get your fill of the three “B’s” at this event where you can enjoy all-you-can-sample beer and bourbon, plus barbecue on sale from a variety of food vendors. Seminars, games and live music are also on tap at this event held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Cow Palace. Choose from a one- or two-day ticket, with designated driver tickets available at a discount.

3 Old Stein Inn, Edgewater

Savor hearty German cooking at this inn which has been featured on Food Network’s “The Best Of” show. Enjoy brats in the beer garden or freshly baked pretzels with bier cheese in the dining room. If you’re lucky, the restaurant’s German accordion player will serenade you.

4 Gypsy Queen Café, Baltimore

The Gypsy Queen Café travels through the streets of Baltimore offering award-winning meals from its food truck. Favorites include the bacon-topped mac ‘n cheese served in a waffle cone and sliders topped with bacon relish. Consider yourself fortunate if you cross its path.

5 Savage River Lodge, Frostburg

Sign up to be “Chef for a Day” and learn culinary basics, tips and tricks alongside the lodge’s chef. Cook a four-course meal, bring home recipes to try later, and receive a personalized chef’s coat as a memento.

6 45th Street Taphouse, Ocean City

With 36 specialty beers on tap, and its renowned pretzels served with Guinness mustard and “Natty Boh” cheese, this Ocean City restaurant's bayside dining experience makes it a standout among the many great restaurants found along Coastal Highway.

7 Charm City Food Tours, Baltimore

See the city’s major landmarks while sampling Baltimore’s food staples at one of four food tours showcasing Baltimore’s eclectic neighborhoods. The group also offers tours of two of Baltimore’s popular food markets, featuring local favorites such as Berger cookies and Faidley’s crab cakes.

8 The Kitchen Studio Cooking School, Frederick

Novices and seasoned cooks alike will enjoy the classes offered at this school, which have themes like Date Night: Bacon, Sushi 101, Cupcakes, Soups & Stews, and Thanksgiving Sides.

9 The Gathering, Baltimore’s Traveling Food Truck Festival

This weekly family- and pet-friendly festival travels throughout greater Baltimore from March through November. Sample any one (or two, or three) of the dozens of participating food trucks’ offerings. There’s even a full-size bar onsite, plus live music and games for the kids.

10 J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake, Crisfield

You might want to wear pants with an adjustable waistline to this annual event held in July at Somers Cove Marina. The feast features an all-you-can-eat menu of locally-grown and sourced favorites including crabs, fish, clams, corn on the cob and sweet potato fries.

11 Drummer’s Café, Berlin

Located in the Atlantic Hotel, this restaurant has been serving the community for more than 100 years, offering a truly historic taste of Maryland. The cozy setting features velvet Victorian sofas, crystal chandeliers and an open fireplace. Indulge in baked brie and a spiked “Arnold Palmer.”

12 Richardson Farms, White Marsh

Visit this family farm for its home-grown produce, baked goods and local meats. With its freshly made ice cream and cheese, ethically-raised poultry and well-stocked deli case, there’s something delicious here for everyone.

13 Liquid Assets, Ocean City

This high-end restaurant does double-duty as a specialty liquor store. Choose a bottle of wine from the shelf, and treat your palette to local cuisine served with a twist, like Tangier Island oysters stuffed with spinach, anisette liqueur and Gruyère cheese.

14 Chapel’s Country Creamery, Easton

Take a cheese-making class and tour the aging room, then sample cheeses or feast on a catered lunch. For the intrepid cheese aficionado, the creamery offers a more intensive class where you get to milk the cows yourself.

15 Tilghman Island Inn

This romantic inn not only provides charming accommodations but also gourmet on-site dining at Mike & Eric’s Bay Hundred Restaurant, winner of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Delight in the ingredients gathered from the inn’s surrounding waters teeming with fish, and from nearby farms plentiful in produce.

16 Growler’s Restaurant, Gaithersburg

Montgomery County’s first brewpub pairs craft beers perfectly with a satisfying pub menu. Stay late for live music or stop by early for an eclectic twist on the classic brunch menu, which includes creations like breakfast pizza topped with chorizo and a burrito stuffed with house-smoked, beer-braised pork.

17 St. Mary’s County Crab Festival, Leonardtown

Get ready to indulge in Maryland’s famous crabs at this day-long feast held at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. There are steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab soups, and soft crabs—and did we mention crab? There are plenty of other food options, too, along with live music and a classic car show.

18 Antietam Brewery & Benny’s Pub, Hagerstown

Pop in to this pub located along Antietam Creek—only 10 minutes away from the historic Antietam Battlefield—and order from an extensive and creative menu which includes a fishtail BLT with basil mayo. Don’t forget to try the house-brewed beers, too.

19 Boordy Vineyards, Hydes

In the rolling hills of Baltimore County, Boordy draws in crowds with guided wine tastings, tours of its historic barn, food truck vendors and Shakespearean performances. Visit in the winter for the food and wine pairings, or stop by any time of the year for the live music.

20 Charleston Restaurant, Baltimore

For any discerning foodie, the Charleston’s prix fixe tasting menu is a must. Choose between three and six course meals carefully created by James Beard Award nominee Chef Cindy Wolf which use only the best ingredients.

21 Reynold’s Tavern, Annapolis

Sitting in the heart of downtown Annapolis, it doesn’t get more authentic than Reynold’s Tavern. Soak in the history with a traditional English afternoon tea or get a drink in the basement’s 1747 Pub, which—like the name implies—makes you feel like you’ve traveled back to the 18th century.

22 Farm to Chef Maryland, Baltimore

Held at the American Visionary Art Museum, this unique culinary competition pairs 30 chefs with 30 local farms to create unforgettable dishes for over 300 attendees. Proceeds support Days of Taste, a Baltimore program educating elementary school children on the importance of farm-to-table cuisine.

23 FireFly Farms Creamery & Market, Accident

This award-winning Garrett County creamery curates seasonal tastings and pairings of homemade cheeses with beer or wine, and an array of accompaniments ranging from nuts and olives to charcuterie and breads. The goat cheeses are free of additives and preservatives, and made of fresh goat milk from six local family farms.

24 Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn, Annapolis

For a true Maryland crab-filled meal, try this waterfront restaurant in Maryland’s capital, complete with paper-covered tables and wooden mallets. Order crabs and a couple of pitchers of beer, and you’ve got an authentic Maryland dining experience like no other.

25 Taste Frederick Food Tours

On weekends from March through November, you can take a three-hour walking (and eating) tour of Market Street's local restaurants and specialty food shops, all while learning about the town’s history and architecture. Sample crab mac ‘n cheese on-a-stick or Mediterranean-influenced artisan chocolates, and taste local brews inspired by colonial Maryland.

Dining & Restaurants Photos & Videos

Maryland Craft Beer Festival

Marylanders take their craft brews seriously--and so can you with beer festivals and brewery tours.

Wit & Wisdom at the Four Seasons in Harbor East, Baltimore

Dig into the culinary delights of Baltimore, like at Wit & Wisdom in Harbor East.

Enjoying Crabs at Crab Claw in St. Michaels

Enjoy a crab feast at the Crab Claw in St. Michaels.

Family Meal at Volt Restaurant in Frederick

Foodie destination Volt Restaurant in Frederick serves up a plethora of food experiences, from fine dining to casual comfort food.

Laurrapin Grille in Havre de Grace

Located in the historic downtown, Laurrapin Grille showcases dishes that honor the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay region.

Evening Dining at Public House National Harbor

Dine al fresco on a spectacular weekend away in National Harbor.

Dining & Restaurants

Trip Ideas

Crab Houses

There's nothing more delicious and delectable that Maryland blue crab! Here are some hot-spots where the locals like to roll up their sleeves and dig in.